Israeli financial literacy made simple
Our 2023 LFSII Conference wrap-up
It was an incredible experience to partner with Nefesh B’Nefesh on this first-of-its-kind event, which brought together Israel’s top financial experts and professionals and Olim looking to learn more about managing their finances in Israel.
The 2023 LFSII Conference, which sold out a week before the event, had 350 attendees from all walks of life, including both new immigrants and veteran Olim who’ve been living in Israel for decades, and people from all across the religious spectrum, from secular to observant. We offered 3 tracks within the conference, 16 speakers, and 20 sessions on a variety of financial topics, enabling attendees to build the experience that provided the most value to them.
They were thrilled that the LFSII 2023 Conference provided them with critical knowledge and valuable tools they can implement in their day-to-day lives, in a high-energy and supportive environment. Many of the participants noted that information was conveyed in an accessible, easy-to-understand way, which made Israeli finance far less intimidating.
Our engaging speakers connected with the audience, addressing them in a matter-of-fact, straightforward way and creating a space that allowed attendees to feel comfortable asking questions. Dialogue was a major part of the experience, and during my session at the end, I spoke directly with attendees about what they’d like to see for the LFSII Conference in 2024.
Malcolm Berman’s session on the stock market was a huge crowd-pleaser. An attendee told me she went into the talk with almost no knowledge on the topic, but Malcolm’s way of breaking down the concepts - from basic terminology to the fundamentals of investing - made it less intimidating and overwhelming.
The pension session, led by Gadi Last, Danny Newman, and Amiel Leiber, and moderated by Nefesh B’Nefesh VP of Diaspora Partnerships Marc Rosenberg, helped tame the wild world of Israeli retirement funds for our audience. Attendees told me that they walked into the talk with feelings of dread and confusion regarding their pensions, and left knowing how to gauge if a pension plan is the right fit for them and how to calculate the amount they need to save. Our audience gained real-world, practical knowledge that empowers them to make smarter moves regarding their pensions.
B2B (Be the Bank)
B2B (Be the Bank) introduced our audience to alternative investing. It’s a fascinating space, which many of our participants didn’t previously know existed! They learned that as Americans, there are out-of-the-box financial products they can invest in, with an initial investment of 10,000 NIS. Because I’m a financial educator, I always love exposing my clients to new finance-related subjects that are changing the industry landscape, and B2B’s session definitely gave our audience a lot to consider regarding this exciting new sector.
Richard Gussow, choosing the right financial professional
Richard Gussow’s talk on choosing the right financial professional was an enlightening experience for our audience. Richard broke down the differences between finance professionals, explaining the differences in services and roles for financial planners, insurance advisors, portfolio managers, and more. Attendees learned what they should screen for in a financial professional, and how to determine which experts would provide them the most value for their unique financial circumstances.
Dr. Leah Gniwesch’s coaching session
I was approached by multiple attendees who said that Dr. Leah Gniwesch’s coaching session was brilliant and eye-opening. Leah is a clinical psychologist who pivoted to life coaching, and her money-focused talk helped our audience question their mental roadblocks around financial success and understand how to embrace positive financial patterns and decision-making.
When LFSII 2023 attendees told me they were leaving with a huge boost to their financial literacy and confidence that they can move forward with their finances and plan better, I was thrilled.
The goal of LFSII 2023 was to ensure that our participants walked out with a deeper understanding of their financial goals and how to get there, and I’m proud to say that we achieved that. Plus, it was wonderful connecting with my Facebook group members face-to-face.
I’m very grateful for their partnership on this event.
- Rifka
- Rifka